Apparatus for applying labels, platens or the like on hollow bodies



Sept. 13, 1966 LANGECKER 3,272,681

NG LABELS.

APPARATUS R APPLYI PLATENS OR E LIKE 0N HOLLOW BODIES Original FiledApril l2, l9 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ERHARD LANGECKER ATTORNEY.

Sept. 13, 1966 E. LANGECKER APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LABELS, PLATENS ORTHE LIKE ON HOLLOW BODIES Original Filed April 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

United States Patent F 4 Claims. 61. 156-518) The present inventionrelates to an apparatus for applying markings, as la'bels, platens orthe like to hollow bodies in a blowing process.

This is a divisional application to the co-pending application SerialNo. 102,581, filed April 12, 1961, now abandoned.

It is known to print on hollow bodies blown from hoses or bands afterthe blowing process. This printing is timeconsuming, particularly onbulky parts and especially in case of a multi-color print due to thepartly required pretreatment of the blown hollow bodies, in order toadhere the color properly. Above all, for each configuration of thehollow bodies particular printing machines must be used.

It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for applying markings, as labels, platens or the like tohollow bodies in a blowing process, wherein the drawbacks of the knownstructures are avoided.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatusfor applying markings, as labels, platens or the like to hollow bodiesin a blowing process, wherein one or multi-color printed, cold orpre-heated, thin walled leaves of the same or weldable or glueablematerial are inserted into hollow form halves or they are tensioned overthe form halves, whereby a satisfactory connection is brought aboutduring the blowing process. It is possible, if desired, to use, insteadof the pure leaves of synthetic material, also paper which has a layerof weldable synthetic material or glueable material corresponding withthe material to be blown up, which paper may be printed with one coloror with multiple colors on the side opposite that carrying the layer andwhich can be pressed also in relief. In this case a satisfactory weldingconnection is achieved.

It is of advantage not to insert the leaf manually, and differentpossibilities are suitable for this purpose. There is one possibility touse a leaf, which is wider than the blown up body. In this case, in amanner conventional with the blowing of celluloid plates, during theclosing of the form, a leaf corresponding in size to the form, ispunched out by squeezing it off. The remaining margin can then be usedfor the further conveying of the leaf to the next process step.

A further possibility exists in an arrangement according to which aprinted leaf band is pulled over the form crosswise or lengthwise to thehose and is squeezed off in the same manner as set forth above. Thefurther transportation of the leaf is brought about by gripping meanswhich grips the cut-off end of the leaf and is pulled over the formhalves corresponding with a printing guide. The guides of the sheetshould be suitably movable with the corresponding form half, in ordernot to interfere with the feeding of the raw material to be blown up,namely the hose or the band. The insertion of the paper having a layerof suitable material and which under circumstances is also printed, cantake place in the same manner. It

3,272,681 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 is, however, necessary to observe thatthe paper having a layer is properly connected during the blowingprocess with the blown up hose body, yet does not join the extension,which is possible in connection with leaves of thermoplastic material.

It is a further possibility to feed a paper of predetermined size havinga layer by means of a particular feeding device into the hollow moldfrom the side of the clamping plate of the mold by a stamp which isequipped with vacuum nozzles for securing of the paper. The stamp formsthen with the layer carrying paper one part of the mold.

The possibility exists thereby to use the feeding stamp, which isequipped with vacuum nozzles, simultaneously as a cutting stamp and tostamp out corresponding sections from a leaf band or a paper band havinga layer of synthetic material or glueable material and to feed thesesections into the blowing mold. In this case uneven and curved faces canbe inserted upon application of expandible leaves, while in the case ofpaper only the possibility of deforming of the paper by vacuum exists.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in thefollowing detailed description, the present invention will be clearlyunderstood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an axial section of a blowing mold, the latter being shownin closed position;

FIG. 2 is an axial section of a blowing mold shown in open position;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of an apparatus for applying labels, platens orthe like to a hollow body, shown partly in section; and

F IG. 4 is an end view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose the mold in twohalves divided along a plane disposed at a right angle to thelongitudinal axis of the mold in closed and open position of the latter,respectively. The mold halves 11 are equipped with a squeezing edge 17and are disposed parallel to the axis of the hose 16, which is extrudedby means of the nozzle 10. The mold half 11 is equipped with an opening21, which has a cross-section exactly identical with that of a stamp 19so that the edge 23 of the stamp 19 forms jointly with the edge 24 ofthe form half 11 a punching tool. Between the two cutting edges 23 and24, the strip or the layer carrying paper 15 is inserted. During theclosing movement, the stamp 19, which is equipped with vacuum nozzles22, is moved onto the hollow chamber 13. By this arrangement, a sheet 25(FIG. 1) is stamped out from the strip 15 and the layer carrying paper,respectively, by means of the cutting edges 23 and 24, which sheet 25assumes, due to the concavely curved end face of the stamp 19, the formof the inner face of the wall of the bottle-shaped like member 13 andengages the stamp 19 by suction by means of the vacuum nozzles 22.

Upon completion of the closing process, the stamp 19 forms one part ofthe wall of the mold. Depending upon the length of movement of the stamp19, the sheet of thermoplastic material or of a layer carrying paper canbe disposed, deepened or elevated to or also flush relative to the innerwall face of the chamber 13, as shown in FIG. 1. Upon termination of theblowing step, the stamp 19 is returned to its original position, uponreleasing the vacuum effect in the nozzles 22. During this step, theremaining portion of the strip 15 is taken off by means of a strippingring 20 from the stamp 19, so that the strip or the layer carrying paper15 can be moved past the stamp 19 into a new operative position.

The conveying device for the leaf 15 can be of a structure similar tothat used in the sheet metal industry and in printing plants,respectively. It is also possible to insert already pre-stamped sheetsinstead of cutting them during the insertion step and to insert thesheets into the hollow body in the manner described above.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the mold of a blowingmachine for hollow bodies is shown in an'elevational and an end view,respectively, according to which a filling funnel 27 is provided on amachine frame 26 for feeding the thermoplastic mass into the machine. Anextruding device 28 of conventional nature as to its structure andfunction which produces the hose is disposed on an extension of themachine above the mold halves 11 and 12, the material being fed to theextruder 28 in known manner through the funnel 27. A vacuum-producingdevice (not shown) is in connection with a conduit 29, which in turn isoperatively connected with the nozzles 22 in the stamp 19, whileconduits 30 and 31, respectively, serve the purpose to feed and toremove air into and out of a cylinder 32, respectively, in which apiston 33 connected with the stamp 19 is reciprocating, in order tobring about the reciprocating movement of the stamp 19.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is tobe understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in alimiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined bythe objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for applying markings to hollow bodies during themolding thereof, comprising a complete hollow mold comprising two moldhalves and defining an opening through one wall thereof,

means to supply an extruded hose into and received in said mold anddisposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said opening,

a stamp having an operative end face complementary to said opening, andforming part of the inner wall of said mold, said stamp reciprocating insaid opening of said mold during the closed position of said two formhalves,

said stamp having at least one axially disposed channel adapted to beconnected with a vacuum source, and

means for reciprocating said stamp alternately into an inoperativeposition outside of said opening of said mold with said end face spacedapart from said mold and into an operative position inside said opening,for applying markings to a hollow body.

2. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said end face of saidstamp has a cutting edge cooperating with the outer edge of said openingof said mold and adapted to stamp out portions of a strip of materialfed between said mold opposite said opening and said end face of saidstamp in said inoperative position,

3. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, which includes a strippingring surrounding and cooperating with said stamp outside said mold.

4. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said operative endface of said stamp has a shape complementing the inner face of said moldat the inner end of said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,744,438 1/1930Benson 156287 2,632,202 3/1953 Haines 156244 2,684,775 7/ 1954 Von Hofe156-475 2,811,744 11/1957 Baldanza 156238 2,922,192 1/ 1960 Morin.2,959,812 11/1960 Allen. 3,021,559 2/1962 Strong. 3,072,969 1/1963Dubois 156209 3,108,850 10/1963 Brandt. 3,142,098 7/1964 Wilkalis et al.156-244 EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

H. F. EPSTEIN, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKINGS TO HOLLOW BODIES DURING THEMOLDING THEREOF, COMPRISING A COMPLETE HOLLOW MOLD COMPRISING TWO MOLDSHALVES AND DEFINING AN OPENING THROUGH ONE WALL THEREOF, MEANS TO SUPPLYAN EXTRUDED HOSE INTO AND RECEIVED IN SAID MOLD AND DISPOSEDPERPENDICULARLY TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID OPENING, A STAMP HAVINGAN OPERATIVE END FACE COMPLEMENTARY TO SAID OPENING, AND FORMING PART OFTHE INNER WALL OF SAID MOLD, SAID STAMP RECIPROCATING IN SAID OPENING OFSAID MOLD DURING THE CLOSED POSITION OF SAID TWO FORM HALVES,